Maria's Luau Ducky Birthday

A few weeks ago we celebrated Maria's 2nd b-day Luau Ducky style - here are some pics of the festivities :)

Giving one of her first guests, cousin Bella a lei

I really wanted to make her cake and found a yummy recipe that was delicious. I bought the duck mold months in advance, with every intention of doing a trial run but it never happened. I definitely have to work on my frosting skills for future cakes and not start frosting just 30 minutes before the party starts. Mental note for next year :) But it was still delicious! Thanks to Abuela and Nana for helping me get it done!

The customary pastelon de guayaba made by Abuela and Tia Evie!

Every good ducky party must have a bubble show! Our bubbleologist (yes, that's what they call themselves), Gilbert, did a very good job not only dealing with a bunch of kids and toddlers but more importantly a sassy crowd.

Bella was impressed! And I don't have a pic of Cousin Aidan showing how excited he was, but the kid was jumping up and down smiling the whole time!

I think what the kids enjoyed most was getting inside a bubble. Here's cousin Lauren..

Cousin Nico showing that boys rule :) ummmm Maria's not too sure about this whole thing...

Camryn, Connor, Karina, Elisa, and I in our bubble...

Kayla covered in bubbles :)

Even the adults got into it (notice Connor at the bottom ready to pop the bubble!).

Forget the spoon - I want ice cream!

So this was our first time having a pinata and since I had pull string ones growing up I thought I'd get one like that. It's supposedly safer, except when you don't really remember that it should be lower to the ground so that a) the candy doesn't hit the kids in the face as it falls out and b) the entire pinata doesn't fall on the kids if it's not secured all that well. Well, luckily no one was injured bad enough for us to get sued and the kids got lots of candy! Again, mental note for next year :)

The last two gifts Maria opened were a trike from her Abuela and Papa and a doll and doll bed from Nana and Grandpa. She loved both of these gifts!

As soon as she opened the bed she got in it! It only took a few days to convince her that the bed is for her dolls and not for her :)

Cousin Aidan and other guests enjoying our December luau in 50 degree weather!

The cousin group shot. We really have to start taking these at the beginning (instead of the end) of the night! Auntie Evie and Uncle Don

My last mental note for next year is to have Papa/Abuela and Nana/Grandpa grab someone with a camera to have their pic taken with Maria at her party! This is the only pic below I have (and Maria's obviously not paying attention!)

Happy Birthday Maria! We've loved seeing you grow up the past couple of years. This past year has been filled with such huge milestones - walking, running, talking (in complete sentences with pronouns!) and singing your favorite songs like ABC's, Twinkle, Twinkle, and Old MacDonald when you wake up from your naps. We love watching you play with your "little people" engaging them in full conversations and reading your books - especially Curious Georg :) You enjoy life so much and your energy soars when you are surrounded by friends and family that make you laugh, which in turn makes us laugh even more. We love you!

Happy Birthday Maria!

Happy Birthday Maria! We love you baby girl! :)

Remembering Mamamia

On November 18th, my grandma, Mamamia passed away. It's hard to believe it's already been a week. Over the last 7 days we have cried, laughed, and celebrated her wonderful life and memories that she has left us. I'm thankful to all of my friends and family that have prayed for us and kept us in their thoughts.

The following are some stories I shared at her funeral this past Sunday, on what would have been her 87th birthday. Fortunately, Maria was able to meet Mamamia. I hope that as she grows up she can read these stories and know the beautiful spirit her great-grandma shared with us.

"Growing up, I think I experienced two versions of Mamamia. As a kid, when she would babysit us, she was the strict disciplinarian. You could only take one toy at a time from the toy room - and when you were done with it, you had to put it back exactly where you found it before grabbing another. For a kid it was tough, but for her it was the only way to keep a house full of kids that she babysat neat and tidy. For my sisters, my cousin and I there was also the issue of the notorious "flecos" - the fringe things at the end of the Persian carpet that she had in the den. Don't even dare try to touch them or mess them up! I remember if they were the slightest out of place, she would get her broom and make sure they were neat and in place. These rules though still didn't stop me from being sneaky. She had a purple ceramic cookie jar in the shape of grapes in the kitchen and if I knew that she or Papamio were in another room, I would sneak in there and carefully lift the lid - careful to not let it even tap the jar so that I could sneak a cookie - usually a yummy vanilla finger.

What I saw as "strict" as a kid, was really a reflection of how she treated her home and those she loved - with much pride. When I got married Mamamia told me that she was always dressed nicely and kept herself looking all put together for Papamio and that a woman should take pride in doing that for her husband. These days that may sound old-fashioned, but really I liked the advice (not that I always follow it!) and it was neat that she did take pride in that.

But Mamamia the disciplinarian really wasn't the woman that she was most of the time or to most of us. Growing up I mainly remember Mamamia always having a "cup-half-full" attitude, always laughing and a sneaky mischievous side that made her fun to be around. This jokester was also "amiga de saber" - she loved chisme and always enjoyed finding out the latest scoop about what was happening to whom - no matter if it was someone she knew or a celebrity.

On the softer side, Mamamia was extremely nurturing. As a kid she would show us how to bottle feed her cat's newborn kittens and she would wrap and hold them as if they were a real baby. I cherish the moments I got to spend with her in the kitchen, learning her "from scratch" recipes that I would try to convert to measurements to that I could replicate them again - my favorite dish her natilla.

She really was a social butterfly. Up until she had her first stroke, she was still invited to and attended many of her friends' social gatherings. When I'd be at her home, I was always amazed at how many times the phone would ring! It was so fun to see my Grandma, in her mid-80s receiving calls and talking like a young school girl.

And she helped us celebrate our birthdays in style. For my 13th birthday my parents rented a big van and we loaded up a bunch of my friends and headed out to my grandparents ranch in Newberry Springs, where they spent much of their free time. When we pulled up, there were balloons all over the place and a sign reading "Feliz Cumpleanos Alina!" - they knew how to make these moments special. Her home in Torrance was always open for celebrations. We celebrated our baby showers, several New Years eve parties, and I was able to celebrate my 30th b-day party there, where Greg and I happily announced to family and friends that we were engaged.

She loved to shop! I remember after Papamio died she would ask me or my sisters to take her shopping where she would love looking with me to find a new outfit. We always had fun gathering a big pile of clothes and heading to the dressing rooms to find her perfect outfit - which we always managed to do. And of course, these outings always ended with her treating me to lunch at the Red Robin.

After Papamio died, Mamamia stayed strong - both for herself and for the rest of us that were here with her. But there still always remained a deep sadness and void that you could almost see in her eyes. Despite difficult situations like that, it was her young spirit, childlike smile and laugh that would light up her eyes when she was surrounded by family and friends - and that's what kept her going.

She loved so strongly and I know that she felt that love reciprocated 100 times fold. Today on her birthday, I am glad that she is no longer in pain and that she has finally reunited with Papamio who she adored. But I cry because I will miss her presence in my life. I am proud and lucky to have had her as my grandma, my mamamia.

Gilda Eulalia Bueno

(November 22, 1922 - November 18, 2009)

Rest in Peace

As a schoolteacher in Cuba

With Papamio

On the beach with Papamio and Papi in CubaAt Mami and Papi's weddingGoofing around with me and my sistersCelebrating graduations, weddings, and new babies

With her great-granddaughter Maria